Vehicle-spring.



W. ROPBR. VEHIOILE SPRING.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 27, 1912.

Patented July 2,- 1912.

2 SHEETS-SPEET 1.

5] vwento'n W. ROBER. VEHICLE SPRING. APPLICATION FILED JAN.27,1912. A LQZBLQQS Patented July 2, 1912.

' 2 SHEETSSHEBT 2 GUM/nu,

,-WILLlIAM ROPER, O'EJPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-FOURTH of the character stated *1 led wit 'lirations, and yet cnibodyin to support heavy loads thereon.

withstand the strains and stresses, cushion the connection lxtweenthc vehicle" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..-

tro

THEopoREEoEcHsLE, or PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA, AND ONE-FOURTH o MALCOLM J. MCLEOQ.ANID ONE-F MICHIGAN.

1,031,028. s ecification of P iiladelphia in the county of Philadelphia .111 d State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new :uuliuseful Improvements in Vehi le-Springs, ofuvhich the following is a spgcification. ,l invention relates to improvements in vehicle springs. the object of the invention .beiing to .provide a spring or an assemblage of springs? which takes the" place of the ON inary elliptical or sex-elliptical spring .in eneralilse. i

further object isto pro-ide an arrangelic'nt of links pivotally eqi iiiceted :ind.pro-- h an improved arrmgement of spr ig inounting. whereby t 1e deviceis held iiori' ally in a diamond slutpm and isex trefiiely sensitive to take up shocks and \i'Yt m reat strength A further object is to provide a device of this character comprising four lin'lts, pivotally connected. and each link operating upon a separate coiled spring. and" provide means for adjusting the tension of said springs, whereby the latter may be adjusted in accordance with the loath I A further object is to provide a device. of the character stated in which coiled springs and rubber cushions are utilized together to vet body and the axles. A further object is to prov-lde a device which will dispense altogether with the ordinary elliptical spring,

thereby reducing very materially the cost of the vehicle, and providing a CODSilllt'l'ltiIl which may be repaired in the event of inrangcments of parts,

J liith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in cert..-m novel features of construction and combinations and aras willhcnirire fully hereinafter descrih d an... pointed out ingthc claims.

o the accom anving drawings: Figure. 1, is a view in Sit e elevation illustrating one arrangement of my improved spring structure in connection with a vehicle frame. Fig. o is a similar view showin another Application filed January 27,1912. Serial No. 673,806.

URTH T 0 THOMAS CONWAY, BOTH OF-DETRO VEHICLE-SPRING.

mm mm. ratented Jii1 2',"19'1a.

view in sideelevation on an-enlargedscale illustrating a complete double spring imit; Fig. 4, 1s a top plan view of Fig.3. "Fig.5, l8 :1 view on an enlarged scale in sideelevtr-- tion illustrating one of the sprin heads as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, wit the side plate removed. Fig. 6, is a view in section on the'line t3'-6 of Fig. 5. Fig.7, is a view otall v connected forming a ;d iain on i" shapcd frame. f 1 represents four links which are arranged,

secured by nuts 4, and projecting through elongated bcarmgsfi on the ends oithe upends of all four links'are alike in construction. The two upper links and the two lower links are pivotally secured in 5 ring heads 6, both of which are precisely all (e in. construction. one being reversed inposition and the dcscri tion hereinafter of one spring,- head will app j alike to both.

The construction of the spring head is shown most clearly in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8,-an'd 9. The spring casting which is. made in its upper p0 tion with parallel longitudinal recessesZ. reces es are open at the sides of the block-- and are spaced from each other. Oneend of each recess communicates with a cutout end 8 of the block, and in this cut out end, the end of link 1 is positioned.

In Fig. 10, it; will be seen thateech link has an opening 9 in its extreme end to reeeive a bolt 10 which i notonly promoted. torouglrthe link, but also through side plates 11 and '12.. which fit. snugly against; the sides of the block 6,- and ander outwardly zproj ctin flanges 13 at the upper face of said-bloc These plates 11 an d, 0 embodiment of my invent-ion. l 1g. 3, l8 :1

Lute. closures for the recessed sides of the in section onthe line 7--.7 of Fig. 5. Fig.1 8, is a view In section on the line 8-8 of i trated in Fig. 3, m'which fourflinkspre piv in the formation shown, thetwo 'l0't\0l,l.l!l-l$ having perforated ears 2 to receive ,bolts' 3 s'o per links 1, and pivotally connecting the upper and lower links-at theircnds. The other 3 head .proper I comprises a metal 7 ese is 12 constis -blocks and plate 11- on the upper spring head is preferably in the form of an angle as shown to engage the channel bar 14 of the automobile frame, and when these bolts are secured in place by nuts 15, the links are pivotally secured in the heads and the heads maybesecured to the frame.

It will be noted that each link 1, at its end within the spring head, has a curved integral enlargement 16 which is oft-set to one side of the link, and in alinemcntwith the recess 7. It is to be noted that while the links are centrally located within the block, the enlargements 7 are at one side, and as the springs are in parallelism and 'the'links located in'a plane centrally between them:

the's'eitenlargement, 16 will be so positioned V als'to di i ectly engage the'ends ofthe springs.

and watt .20-

.springs' l8 are located and;ins'ide of each coiledspring, a bar of elastic; preferably rubber, 19.. is positioned.

closed :end 17 of each recess. a $(3t S C1e W 20 is projected, and is adjustable -1n .a

e the blockis cut out or recessed rgm t alik'e at both sides. these recesses orqfciitgdut portions are exactlyreversed, so

i that .the closed nds l't of said recesses 7 are .at opposite .si'des ofi-the block, andthey are also-positionedreversely as is most clearly seen in. -F-ig. .7i n,,the se recessesj: 7, c01lcd Through the tl1readed opening in the end of the block. 7

The inner end of each-scrcw 20 engages a jack pin 21. These-Jack pins have extensionsv 2'2 projecting inside the coil of the spring, while theirouter ends arecnlarged torec'eivc the endsof the coiled spring, and their rear'faces are recessed to receive the rounded end of the screw 20, so that the adjustment ofv the screw moves the jack pin longitudinally in the recess.

. The outer end of the screws 20 have angular heads 23 to facilitate their movement by an ordinary wrench, and lock nuts 2-t are provided on said screws to lock them 1n any position of adjustment. The opposite ends of said springs 13 engage jack pins 25 and similar in construction to jack pins 21 except that they have rounded enlargements 26 'which project, into recesses in the enlargements l6, hence the coiled springs are positioned between the jack pins 21 and 25,

i one jack pin bearing against the screw 20.

and the other against the enlargement 16, so that the tension of the spring is always against the enlargement tending to hold the link at thc normal angle. and the ends of the block have inclined walls as shown at 27 to limit the movement ofth links against. the. pressure of? the springs.

To further increase the strength of the springs. and cushion the action thereof, the.

bars'ot elastic it) which are located inside of the coils hear at their ends against the.

- iack pins 21 and 9.5, and assist the springs therefore be noted that with this preferred form of my construction, the coiled springs are malntalned instralght lines, and in parallelism,'and each link has a separate spring and an elastic cushion sustaining the same.

Each of these springs may be adjusted separately by means of the screws 20, and therefore the parts maybe accurately adjusted in accordance with the load which they are I to sustain.

' It IS ofcourse to be understood-that tlie lower spring heads will be secured-in some .way to the axles 28,.and'any'movement of the body of the vehicle with relation to the axles causes the links 1-to pivot, and the 30 stood that two links and ahead which constltute a half unit may be utilized, a-s a spring. To illustrate this, I have shown in Figs. 1, and 2, twocappllcat ions of-iny improvements to an automobile-flame.

In Fig. 1, lremp'lov: at-'f1'ont--a11d rear,

halt units, the front. link:ofzthe;.;:frfont half link connected directlyjito -i a -.-'downwa1'dly' bent end; 29 on :the-framc,.14,.-while: the rear 'linlrisiconnected byga .pivoted'linkgtltl with the frame; TheQforward-Tlinl: fofthe rear half unit-is'fconnectcd b'yia rigidzibracket 50 with frame 14, and the rear link-of this irear half unit isconnected by a cle'\ti s 51 with framelft.

la the arrangement of parts shbu'ndn F 1g. 2, the front half dismounted precisely as itis in-v Fig. 1, but at the rear'end I cmploya completeunit--constructed and mounted as above described.

Various slight changes'might ll e' inadc in the geneiyil. form and arrangement of parts described without departingtrom my in.- rcntion, and hence T do, not limit myself to the precise details setforth,'but consider myself. at libcrty to make such .-changes and alterations as fairly fall within-the spiritand scope of-the appended claims.

' Having th as described my invention, what I claim as new and'desire tosccure by Letters Patent is: a

1'. A device of the character described, comprising a spring head having, parallel recesses spaced apart, coiled springs in said recesses, links pivotally secured in' the ends ofsa'id hcad,and enlargements on said links pressing against the ends'of" the springs, snbstantiallv as dcscrilxad."

2. A device of the character described, comprising a spring head having parallel recesses spaced apart, coiled springs in said recesses; links pirotally secured in thehead, enlargements on thelinks.bearing against the ends of the springs, whereby the movement of the links presscs tlfe respcetise springs in opposite dircctio ns, and the pressure of the springs tends to force the links toward each other, substantially as described.

23. A device of the character described, comprising a spring head having parallel recesses spaced apart. coiled springs in said recesses. links pirotally secured in the ends of said head, enlargements on said links pressing against the ends of the springs. screws projecting through the heads. jack pins between the ends of the screws and the springs, and jack pins between the ends of the springs and the enlargements, substantially as described.

4. A device of the character described,

comprising a casting having recesses in its sides, removable plates secured to the sides of said block and covering the recesses, springs in said recesses, links pivotally mounted centrally in the ends of the casting, and laterally projecting curred enlargements on the said links engaging the ends of the springs, substantially as described.

5. 4 device of the character described, comprisinga casting having recesses in its sides. removable plates secured to the sides of said block and covering the recesses, springs in said recesses. links pivot-ally mounted centrally in the ends of the casting, laterally projecting curved enlargements on the said links engaging the ends of the springs. said casting having screwthreaded openings in its ends. screws in said openings, jack pins on the ends of the screws engaging the ends of the springs. and means for locking the screws against. movement,-

substantially as iilescrihcd.

(5. A device of the. character described,

comprising l'our links and two springheads. one located above the other, each pair of links pivotally connected at their ends, the upper pair of links pivotally secured in the upper spring head. the lower pair of links pirotally secured in the lower spring head, a pair of coiled springs in each head. each spring bearing against a link. laterally projecting enlargements on the links against which the ends of the springs bear. and screws engaging the other ends of the springs, whereby the tension of the springs may be adjusted, substantially as described.

T. device of the character described, comprising tour links and two spring heads, one located above the other, each pair of links pivotally connected at their ends, the upper pair of links pivotallv secured in the upper spring head, the lower pair of links pirotally secured in the lower spring head. a pair of coiled springs in each head. each spring hearing against a link, laterally projecting enlargements on the links against which the ends of the sl'irings bear. screws engaging the other ends of the springs, whereby the tension of the springs may be adjusted. jack pins interposed betwe n the springs and the enlargements and the springs-and the screws. and elastic bars within the springs between the jack pins. substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\Vitnesses:

'lnnonoai: l ()ncusiac, 1%. ll. liincxn'i-m. 

